GDT: Kings vs Oilers: 4.4.17: All Over But The Shouting Edition

[Axl Rhoadz]

There is no re-tool that is going to help this team go from 4th or 5th in the Pacific Division to Stanley Cup contender.

I don't need to change my focus simply because it doesn't agree with the Kings GM our his bosses.

So Im confused, if we are trading away Carter, why not Kopitar, Quick and Doughty too?

 

[SettlementRichie10]

So Im confused, if we are trading away Carter, why not Kopitar, Quick and Doughty too?

Exactly. I only agree with trading Carter if we're torching the entire core. Otherwise, you're just further cementing yourself in the black hole.

Even an aging Kopitar, Doughty, and Quick are too good to get you a lottery pick. So you either trade everyone, or you don't. There's no middle ground here.

And again, what are you trying to get out of a lone Carter trade? A high pick/blue chip prospect and a good depth player? Are any of those assets going to become as good as early/mid 30s Carter in 4-5 years? Even if they do, which is no guarantee, how does that help a 35 year old Kopitar and 32 year old Doughty? The timeline doesn't add up, and now we're Philadelphia.

I really disagree with K17 on trading Carter just for the sake of recouping assets while he's worth something. Unless that's paired with trading the entire core and starting over, those recouped assets don't mean much.

 

[KINGS17]

So Im confused, if we are trading away Carter, why not Kopitar, Quick and Doughty too?

No GM in his right mind would want Kopitar and his contract. Simply too big a risk.

Regarding Quick, I would look into it this off season if I were Dean.

Regarding Doughty, it may come to that if he doesn't want to stick around for the pain of rebuilding. Honestly, I could see him signing a UFA deal in Toronto. He would still have quite a few good years left to contribute, it's a good young team, and he would be a hockey god there.

If Doughty helped bring home a cup to Toronto, he would be a legend in Canada.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

No GM in his right mind would want Kopitar and his contract. Simply too big a risk.

Regarding Quick, I would look into it this off season if I were Dean.

Regarding Doughty, it may come to that if he doesn't want to stick around for the pain of rebuilding. Honestly, I could see him signing a UFA deal in Toronto. He would still have quite a few good years left to contribute, it's a good young team, and he would be a hockey god there.

If Doughty helped bring home a cup to Toronto, he would be a legend in Canada.

Ok, but why are we asking him to stick around when we has massive value and we could trade him?

Are we done with this stupid game, yet? None of this is happening....

 

[The Tikkanen]

Ok, but why are we asking him to stick around when we has massive value and we could trade him?

Are we done with this stupid game, yet? None of this is happening....

Carter is the only King who has produced this season. Imagine being on this team, playing forward and finding out the Kings just traded away Carter but kept the non producers cause Carter was the only player with value. If you work had and produce you're gone, that would send a great message, I call it The Budaj.

 

[KINGS17]

Ok, but why are we asking him to stick around when we has massive value and we could trade him?

Are we done with this stupid game, yet? None of this is happening....

You think the possibility of being at best 1st round fodder or worse for years is the answer? You think Doughty is going to stick around with no hope of ever winning another cup? You think this core led by Kopitar is the answer?

This is a bad situation Dean has created, and there are very few options.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

You think the possibility of being at best 1st round fodder or worse for years is the answer? You think Doughty is going to stick around with no hope of ever winning another cup? You think this core led by Kopitar is the answer?

This is a bad situation Dean has created, and there are very few options.

Wrong, there is an option and only one option....you 're-tool' with what you have and give it another go. In addition, a coaching change is due.

It worked for SJ, PIT, MIN looks like it's working for BOS...the list goes on. We have the core, they are NOT done.

 

[KINGS17]

Wrong, there is an option and only one option....you 're-tool' with what you have and give it another go. In addition, a coaching change is due.

It worked for SJ, PIT, MIN looks like it's working for BOS...the list goes on. We have the core, they are NOT done.

It worked for Pittsburgh. They have Crosby and Malkin. That's one, the list doesn't go on and on.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

It worked for Pittsburgh. They have Crosby and Malkin. That's one, the list doesn't go on and on.

lol, what's your criteria for 'working'...winning the SC? Yeah, well then 29 other teams fail each year too.

I'm talking about a playoff team, period. No excuse why the Kings, with the core they have, should be out of the playoffs. If this team made the playoffs, whether it's 1st seed or 8th, none of us here would be complaining.

 

[tny760]

No excuse why the Kings, with the core they have, should be out of the playoffs.

this is what my anger hinges on. way too many talented players earning way too much money to not even make the playoffs. i don't expect them to win the president's trophy but i damn well expect them to make the dance.

 

[KINGS17]

lol, what's your criteria for 'working'...winning the SC? Yeah, well then 29 other teams fail each year too.

I'm talking about a playoff team, period. No excuse why the Kings, with the core they have, should be out of the playoffs. If this team made the playoffs, whether it's 1st seed or 8th, none of us here would be complaining.

I am interested in just making the playoffs. I remember quite a few complaints after winning only one playoff game in 2016.

I don't think making the playoffs is the criteria if 1st round exits are the expected norm. The Kings need to get back to getting younger, then better. This window is closed.

The Kings core doesn't stack up against the likes of Edmonton, Anaheim, and probably not even Calgary.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

I am interested in just making the playoffs. I remember quite a few complaints after winning only one playoff game in 2016.

I don't think making the playoffs is the criteria if 1st round exits are the expected norm. The Kings need to get back to getting younger, then better. This window is closed.

The Kings core doesn't stack up against the likes of Edmonton, Anaheim, and probably not even Calgary.

There's a reason why the saying, 'anything can happen in the playoffs' exists...and our fan base knows that first hand.

Getting bounced in the 1st or 2nd round is MUCH different than not even making it to begin with. The window is not closed on our core, but Sutter's (and maybe DL's) window is.

 

[KINGS17]

There's a reason why the saying, 'anything can happen in the playoffs' exists...and our fan base knows that first hand.

Getting bounced in the 1st or 2nd round is MUCH different than not even making it to begin with. The window is not closed on our core, but Sutter's (and maybe DL's) window is.

This is a fallacy the Kings sold to their fans for 44 years. The Kings in 2012 through 2014 was a team built for the playoffs, and it showed when they decided to bring their "playoff game" to regular season games at various points during a season.

They couldn't bring their old "playoff game" to any regular season games last season or this season.

Getting bounced in the 1st round on a consistent basis with an aging core isn't going to do anything to get me excited about going to games.

Sorry, but the window is closed. Dean won't be able to rid himself of the Brown and Gaborik contracts. By the time those deals are off the books Kopitar, Doughty, and Quick will all be in their early - mid 30's.

It's problematic Kopitar will regain his form for a prolonged period of time, if at all. By the time Dean can afford to get him the help he obviously needs, because he can't produce like a $10M cap hit player should, Kopitar will no longer be a 1C capable of dominating a playoff series.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Kopitar's trajectory seems to align with one Eric Staal. Staal had a bit of a bounce back season this year with Minnesota, but he's nowhere near as productive as he once was.

 

[The Tikkanen]

Kopitar's trajectory seems to align with one Eric Staal. Staal had a bit of a bounce back season this year with Minnesota, but he's nowhere near as productive as he once was.

The career low shooting percentage of 8.1 and the 148 shots on goal tell me he is probably injured and will have some sort of procedure after the season and he needs better linemates-obviously. If you're an opposing head coach you shut down Kopitar the Kings lose. I expect a bounce back season next year based on the shooting percentage alone but fixing his wingers is gonna take a magician.

 

[Herby]

Kopitar is exiting his prime, he can still be an effective player but the days of making players like Kyle Calder and Ryan Smyth look like NHL caliber players is over.

The Kings need to dramatically upgrade the talent on the wing, whether that is by trading for one, or trading for a center and putting Carter on Kopitar's wing.

I don't think any combo of Kopitar/Toffoli, Kopitar/Pearson, Kopitar/Gaborik is a championship caliber 1C/1W combo.

 

[Suavecito]

Wings fan here...What's your take on Sutter's chances of staying behind the bench?

 

[Suavecito]

When an organization is in the position which the Kings find themselves, it is about a player's age.

Carter is still very useful as a great supporting player on a contending team. The Kings are not a contending team and will not be a contending team for several years if not more. It's time to move Carter while he still has value.

I know some of you don't like to look at the reality of the situation, but this team isn't getting past the likes of Edmonton in the Pacific Division, or Chicago in the Western Conference anytime soon.

If you want to see the Kings win the Stanley Cup again, it's better to start preparing now for five - six years down the road than to hold onto irrational hopes of contending with this group. Of course, AEG might not see it this way and may milk the fond memories of the fans for a few more seasons with a quasi-competitive team.

From an outsider's perspective - the Kings aren't as bad off as some may think.

Were the Kings deemed 'contenders' in 2012, or 2014 when they finished 8th, and 6th in the West, and went on to win the Cup?

Kings are 1 of those teams that if they make the playoffs - their heavy game style tends to favor them.

Guess where we were when we were winning Cups?

I get your overall point, but let's not conflate regular season success with playoff success.

This right here...Reg season means squat once the playoffs begin.

 

[King'sPawn]

Wings fan here...What's your take on Sutter's chances of staying behind the bench?

I wish I could give you a better response, but it's really up in the air. I think Sutter will stay as long as he wants AND as long as Lombardi has a say in it. In terms of different possibilities, I would rank their likelihood as follows:

1. Sutter stays and Lombardi stays
2. Sutter leaves on his own
3. Lombardi is relieved of GM duties and another GM lets Sutter go
4. Lombardi is relieved of GM duties and another GM keeps Sutter
5. Lombardi stays and Sutter is relieved of coaching duties

 

[Suavecito]

I wish I could give you a better response, but it's really up in the air. I think Sutter will stay as long as he wants AND as long as Lombardi has a say in it. In terms of different possibilities, I would rank their likelihood as follows:

1. Sutter stays and Lombardi stays
2. Sutter leaves on his own
3. Lombardi is relieved of GM duties and another GM lets Sutter go
4. Lombardi is relieved of GM duties and another GM keeps Sutter
5. Lombardi stays and Sutter is relieved of coaching duties

If he does end up leaving LA - I wouldn't mind seeing Sutter replace Blashill in Detroit.

 

[Kingspiracy]

This is a fallacy the Kings sold to their fans for 44 years. The Kings in 2012 through 2014 was a team built for the playoffs, and it showed when they decided to bring their "playoff game" to regular season games at various points during a season.

They couldn't bring their old "playoff game" to any regular season games last season or this season.

Getting bounced in the 1st round on a consistent basis with an aging core isn't going to do anything to get me excited about going to games.

Sorry, but the window is closed. Dean won't be able to rid himself of the Brown and Gaborik contracts. By the time those deals are off the books Kopitar, Doughty, and Quick will all be in their early - mid 30's.

It's problematic Kopitar will regain his form for a prolonged period of time, if at all. By the time Dean can afford to get him the help he obviously needs, because he can't produce like a $10M cap hit player should, Kopitar will no longer be a 1C capable of dominating a playoff series.

Perhaps DL will take a leaf out of Hextalls book. Hextall rid himself of Lecavaliers contract and got something for him. IF DL plays hardball with Gabby who knows what would happen.

I'm all for moving Muzzin for an elc winger for Kopi though.

 

[King'sPawn]

If he does end up leaving LA - I wouldn't mind seeing Sutter replace Blashill in Detroit.

He's a great coach. He just has a shelf life.